A No - Pump System - Aquaponics Using No Electricity

[Barbara McLain]

The more I learn about aquaponics, the more I realize that there are many, many "ways" or designs that will construct aquaponic systems that work.  I love the innovation in this field right now--- so many interesting ideas.

This strange system totally fascinated me, so I'm going to post a link to this gentleman's description of how you can build an aquaponic system that uses no electrical pump of any kind.  That's right.. NO ELECTRICITY IS USED.  

His target of course, is very poor parts of the world, or remote locations-- that still do not have electricity--or reliable electricity.

Check out his rather sketchy, step-by-step instructions AT THIS LINK, and let me know what you think.   Seems like it would require a human pump... for at least a couple hours a day, but do you think this is a feasible aquaponic solution for people who do not have electricity?

[Raychel A Watkins]

Don't be so skeptical I have heard of someone here in Hawaii that has a system up already.  They said you couldn't do the air pump either.  Glen Martinez has proven otherwise.  We need to explore every avenue there is.  We have no idea what the future will bring.

[Vlad Jovanovic]

Yeah, I got as far as "this simple aquaponics system is offered as a gift of grace from God" (end of the very first sentence)...and just kinda quit reading...nice pics though, I get the concept...but agree with Jon, for the 'target audience' in question there are probably other methods that would make more over-all sense...

Whatever happened to that gentleman in India who was doing that Neolithic AP model?  

[Jon Parr]

I personally find it foolish to promote something like Aquaponics to end poverty, or help third world countries, or even to be glorified as a sustainable way to grow here in the states. Don't get me wrong, I love AP, and I'm building a commercial AP produce business right now, so I obviously am convinced it can work. But really? Growing fish and plants on a piece of film plastic with a PVC pipe as a pump? What, are third world Humans so animal-like that they can't use a hand-pump, or bilge pump, cups tied to a rope around a bicycle wheel, or fashion a windmill? It's insulting. If there is water available to maintain a fish pond, no electicity, and truly no more money than enough to buy a piece of PVC, then a wicking bed makes for more sense, or an irrigated bed lower than the FT, watered by top-up displacement and a solids-lift-overflow.
I expected from the title that no pumps would be used, which is indeed interesting. However, a human powered pump is still a pump.

[Jim Fisk]

Very 3rd world indeed. Seems a bit simplistic for even the 3rd world. A bicycle pump would be a big upgrade:-)

[Sylvia Bernstein]

Thanks for posting this, Barbara, but unfortunately the image didn't come through.